- Another showcase for Drew Mestemaker: Facing the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders, Mestemaker has the chance to already match his big-time throw total from all of 2025.
- A major opportunity for Trey'Dez Green: Arguably the top tight end prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft faces off against a Texas defense that has hardly let up anything to the position after the catch.
As we close in on the end of the college football season, the realization is setting in that several top prospects in the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft are not going to make the College Football Playoff.For many, there are only three more games left to prove their worth to NFL evaluators, with the exception of bowl games and all-star game appearances.
Top prospects like Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, Ole Miss’ Will Echoles, Clemson’s Ashton Hampton and even Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith all see their playoff dreams either on a knife’s edge or wiped away entirely, along with a slew of other prospects for their respective programs.
For others, the remainder of this regular season is an opportunity to guide their teams toward the postseason. South Carolina’s Dylan Stewart will be heralded as a Gamecock legend if he can help propel his side to the playoffs as an unlikely underdog which started off the year with a 2-3 record and hasn’t lost since. The same can be said for prospects on Kentucky, UCLA, Wake Forest and Houston, many of whom have emerged from obscurity this year and crept their way up PFF’s 2027 Big Board while also picking up victories.
Expecting fireworks from Drew Mestemaker
The current top quarterback on PFF’s Big Board has given his three-loss team a beating heart in its pursuit of the postseason, but he’ll need to put the team on his back once again against 12th-ranked Texas Tech this weekend. The point total for this game is 72.5, which tells you all you need to know. For the second consecutive season, an offense led by Mestemaker is averaging over 43 points per game.
He’s up against a Red Raiders defense that isn’t the same animal it was 12 months ago. There are still some quality players within this unit like pass-rusher A.J. Holmes Jr., linebacker Ben Roberts and cornerback Brice Pollock, all of whom are inside the top 100 on PFF’s Big Board. However, this defense is leaking yardage through the air. The Red Raiders rank 134th out of 138 FBS defenses in passing yards allowed per game.
The Oklahoma State defense isn’t performing well either, and consequently, Mestemaker has needed to continue throwing to keep pace. This has all the makings of a blockbuster matchup. Mestemaker is just four big-time throws away from matching his total from last year’s electric season at North Texas. He’ll get enough opportunities to make four here.
If you’re a total draft buff, keep an eye on Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins in this game too. He won’t be draft eligible until 2028, but could be as high as RB1 in that class. Another member of the North Texas offense from last season, Hawkins has adapted to the higher standard of competition just as seamlessly as his quarterback, having built up an overall PFF grade of 92.3 over his last four games.
Look for Trey’Dez Green to get the ball rolling vs. Texas
It’s fair to suggest the tight end class has had a fairly subdued 2026 season so far. With the exception of Virginia Tech’s Luke Reynolds, not many top tight end prospects have made much headway as of yet. Injuries have played a part for some, including LSU’s Trey’Dez Green. The top tight end on PFF’s Big Board missed four games midseason but looked back to his best last week with 10 catches for 85 yards against Alabama.
For a variety of reasons, including injuries, the sample size of Green film is quite small. Green is still yet to amass 1,000 career receiving yards, although a 100-yard display against Texas would see him reach that milestone. He could opt to return for another season if desired, but Green is likely to take advantage of a fairly thin tight end class at the top and declare for this April with a strong chance of getting selected in the first round.
Texas has allowed just 91 yards after the catch to tight ends this season, the lowest of any defense in the SEC. The Longhorns are equipped with personnel at multiple levels to deal with big, physical tight ends, with prospects of their own like linebacker Rasheem Biles and safety Jelani McDonald — both of whom thrive in pass coverage first and foremost. Green’s physical traits are gaudy enough for NFL teams to be enamored regardless of his final-year production, but a big game against a top defense would eliminate any doubt.
A battle of Big Ten risers in the trenches
USC traveling to Indiana serves up one of the better matchups of the week, both for draft prospects and playoff implications. A lot of this duel features top prospects going unopposed. USC’s cornerbacks don’t match up well with Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh. Similarly, I’d expect USC defensive tackle Jide Abisiri to find success against Indiana’s interior offensive line.
One clash where it will be good-on-good is USC left tackle Elijah Paige taking on Indiana’s slew of edge defenders, headlined by Tobi Osunsanmi. Both of these players have enjoyed watching their draft stock soar over the first three quarters of the 2026 season. Paige in particular has been a total brick wall protecting Jayden Maiava’s blindside, also affording his quarterback time to build a draft case of his own.
Osunsanmi is yet another example of elite transfer portal scouting from Curt Cignetti’s program. The former Kansas State Wildcat wasn’t perceived as a draft candidate over the offseason but is now considered an intriguing mid-round option for teams in need of pass-rushing help. He has been incredibly efficient when closing in on the quarterback this year. Indeed, 30 pressures from Osunsanmi have yielded a return of nine sacks.
Meanwhile, Paige is yet to allow a sack this season. He has only surrendered five total pressures and was last seen dominating Ohio State’s defensive front with an 89.1 PFF pass-blocking grade in that one. Paige has missed time in each of the two seasons prior to 2026, but the fact remains that his last sack allowed came in early October 2024. Both of these teams are coming off a bye week and should be feeling fresh.
Last opportunities for Austin Simmons to make an impression
Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons has been one of the big talking points of the season so far. He has emerged from draft obscurity into the forefront of the quarterback market.
Simmons recently announced a deal to re-sign with Missouri for next season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t declare for the NFL Draft. If Simmons can close out the season as QB1 or QB2 on the consensus big board, he could well strike while the iron is hot and head to the NFL.
Simmons is currently QB6 on PFF’s Big Board, but many evaluators are holding him in higher regard than preseason favorites like Arch Manning and Dante Moore. Others believe Simmons has more desirable tools than CJ Carr and Darian Mensah despite their stronger statistical seasons.
If Simmons is to prove he’s worthy of a first-round pick, taking the Georgia defense head-on this weekend is the best way to go. The Bulldogs gave Trinidad Chambliss nightmares last week, limiting him to a 48.6 PFF passing grade. No defense is causing opposing quarterbacks more headaches than Kirby Smart’s group, which boasts quality draft talent like Chris Cole at linebacker along with Ellis Robinson IV and KJ Bolden in the secondary. All three will almost certainly be top-50 draft picks.
Simmons is a pure pocket passer who has gone five straight games without a scramble entering Saturday. He operates both quickly and aggressively, with by far the fastest time to throw among PFF’s top-seven quarterback prospects, and also owns the deepest average depth of target among that group. Georgia’s coverage disguises and pure athleticism will test his ability to operate within this realm.
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